Dream Trigger 3D Guide and Tips

Don't fall victim to D3's latest shooter. Just follow these tips to transform into a fierce killing machine.

D3 just released Dream Trigger 3D for Nintendo's 3DS, and as soon as the game hit shelves, message boards were full of confused players asking for help.

To be fair, no one has ever seen a shooter like this before. You don't just hop onto the 3DS and destroy a bunch of enemies. Heck, you can't even see enemies to begin with.

That said, D3 feels everyone's pain and released a handy guide and video to help confused players reach the promised land.

From the publisher...

The World of Dream Trigger

Bring light where there is only darkness. Unleash a torrent of joy into the deepest, saddest depths of your consciousness. Turn every unending nightmare into a lucid landscape of bliss. You are the fixer of dreams.

Dream Trigger 3D is a new take on the classic shooter genre. With stunning 3D visuals set to a dynamic multi-track score, the player must utilize both the upper and lower screens to locate and destroy enemies, dodge attacks and grab as many pickups as possible.

The Player Character

In Dream Trigger 3D, your character is both your avatar and aiming reticule. You must use your character to take aim and destroy enemies, but you must also dodge bullets to keep your character alive.

The Two Screens

In Dream Trigger 3D, both the top and bottom screens serve independent functions.

On the top screen, the player character is seen in the dream world. This is also where your enemies will materialize when vulnerable. You also see pickups and your energy and sonar meters.

The bottom screen is your sonar. Enemies are always visible on this screen. Touch the screen to place a sonar ping.

Sonar and the Rhythm Bar

The Rhythm Bar is the white bar seen moving across both the top and bottom screens. The Rhythm Bar moves with the beat of the music.

Touching the bottom screen or pressing the A button places a Sonar Ping. You can place 16 Sonar Pings at a time. Every time the Rhythm Bar moves across the screen, these are replenished. The number of Pings available to you is shown by the small squares on the upper screen. This is your Sonar Meter.

When the Rhythm Bar touches a Sonar Ping, it detonates. If an enemy is caught in this Sonar Ripple, it will become visible on the top screen and can be shot.

Shooting

Once an enemy is visible on the top screen, move your character over them and shoot by pressing either the L/R button or the B button.

There are four types of pickups that will appear in each level. Do not ignore these, especially if you are low on health.
-Blue: adds points
-Yellow: recovers 1 hit point
-Red: gives you unlimited energy (for a limited time)
-Purple: temporary invincibility

Gameplay Tips

Learn to anticipate your enemies' movements so you can "lead" them with your sonar pings.

Whenever in doubt, shoot! Shooting makes you invincible.

Keep pinging! The more you ping, the more energy you get. The more energy you get, the more you can shoot! The more you shoot, the less you die.

World Map Mode: The key to navigating World Map Mode is building up Dream Points (DP). You collect DP when you beat a level. You consume 1 DP for every node you cross on the map. Take it slow and try not to jump too many nodes or you may find yourself stuck on a particularly difficult level.

Free Play mode: Choose any level you have unlocked in World Map Mode and play it. Hone your skills or aim for the top spot on the scoreboard.

Time Attack Mode: Choose any level you have unlocked in World Map Mode and see how quickly you can beat it. The top 10 fastest times will be saved.

Versus Mode: Choose a level and go head to head with a friend over local wireless. If you decide to go head-to-head with a friend, prepare for a challenge. Not only are you competing for points, but you also need to watch out for the other guy. If you are hit by one of their Sonar Pings you will become the hunted. In this phase you will be stunned and unable to score for a brief time if the other player shoots you. Do your best to stay away from the enemies since this is likely where the other player will place their Sonar Pings. Try to anticipate their moves or watch for a pattern.